Everything Everywhere about Low-Code and No-Code (LCNC) Technologies

PROS: Since it does not require in-depth knowledge about coding, LCNC "limits the barrier to entry for software creation" (Northwest Executive Education, 2023). It offers a wider accessibility for contributors. Someone can create a mobile application without hiring a development team; an amateur developer can produce an enterprise-level application or code effectively. LCNC platforms are accessible and convenient to use even to inexperienced and non-developers.

PROS: LCNC platforms open avenues for collaboration for both kinds of users, given its accesibility to both experienced and non-experienced developers and technical and non-technical teams.

This allows team members with different skill sets to collaborate without needing to be coding-savvy. Appian (n.d.) described low-code and no-code platforms as a well-organized toolbox, helping an enterprise's development team to collaborate "ensuring that changes are organized, tracked, and understood".

PROS: Northwest Executive Education (2023) states that LCNC platforms offer reduced errors and less limited options for who can contribute. The same article further discussed that enterprises could save time and resources by minimizing error fixes and reducing the need for hiring skillful and experienced developers. Thus, adopting LCNC solutions could significantly lower the overall cost in the long run.

PROS: Since LCNC provide pre-built templates and drag-and-drop reusable components, it requires less time in coding and, as mentioned earlier, in fixing errors. It also reduces the time needed to connect with databases. One of the blogs from Appian even exclaimed that LCNC platforms "dramatically accelerate development" and claimed that time is no longer a barrier to productivity. A study conducted by McKinsey & Company (2022) disclosed that LCNC technologies have the potential to accelerate development time by 90%. After all, the features of low-code and no-code platforms such as pre-built templates, drag-and-drop components, query builders, etc. are designed to speed up the development and launch of products.

PROS: The existence of pre-built templates and drag-and-drop interfaces in low-code and no-code platforms save users from repetitive and mundane tasks. This allows developers to focus on value-added and complex tasks, resulting in increased productivity and efficiency.

CONS: The prebuilt templates and drag-and-drop component features of LCNC software dwindle design creativity. Since there are pre-built templates, variations in creative designs and elements are getting fewer. In fact, Abdallat (cited in Forbes, 2023) shared that the pervasiveness of the prebuilt templates, "has come to the point that you can tell what exact template was used just by looking at a website". It seems as if our creative limits are not getting pushed or challenged with LCNC platforms.

CONS:Though there is no longer a barrier to productivity, as claimed by Appian (n.d.), Northwest Executive Education (2023) states that LCNC platforms put a barrier to implementing complex design requirements. The same article exemplified an enterprise that does not find low-code and no-code platforms flexible, as it might not be able to build a "highly specialized accounting software tailored to their industry-specific needs". Although Low-code and no-code are cost-saving and accessible, they might limit what users can create.

CONS: The inherent properties of LCNC platforms, being accessible and convenient even to non-technical users, is precisely what lays the foundation for the potential learning curve. Northwest Executive Education (2023) believess that learning curve coould still be anticipated, despite the low-code nd no-code platform does not require in-depth nowledge about coding, as it could be linked to mastering the distinct features and workflows of the platform.

CONS:Having pre-built features in LCNC may inadvertently introduce errors and security threats. Forbes (2023) emphasized that these tools can make the users complacent, tempting them to overlook important safeguarding procedures. Additionally, individuals constructing apps through low-code and no-code might lack the necessary security expertise and practical knowledge to ensure their app's security.

CONS: Vendor lock-in refers to a situation where a customer becomes dependent on the vendor to the point of being stuck, as switching to another vendor is too risky and costly. In the context of using LCNC platforms, users may experience vendor lock-in, relying heavily on a specific low-code or no-code platform, and switching to another platform might cause rewriting of the whole process and application. Forbes (2023) describes vendor lock-in as the "main downside" in using low-code and no-code platforms.